After trying and coming close with a quarterback on the downside of his career, the Vikings went the opposite route in drafting Ponder and trusting him with the job as a rookie, after it became obvious Donovan McNabb had nothing left.

He’s played a mostly efficient style, and the Vikings haven’t asked too much of him, but he’s nearing the point where he’s either going to take a step or not. Tomorrow’s game against the Packers is going to be a good gauge of where he stands in the process.

“You talk about litmus tests,” Frazier said. “This will be one going on the road in Green Bay against a high-powered offense that we need to match at times. This will be a gauge for [Ponder] as to where he is in his career.”

Walking in as the starter on a team that was already 1-5 last year tempered expectations, but he’s got them 6-5 this season, and on the fringes of the playoffs.

“He’s coming along,” cornerback Antoine Winfield said of Ponder. “The coaches are working with him. But it’s a process. You don’t expect him to come in and be All-World.

“He’s going to make some mistakes and go through some growing pains. But I think he’ll be a better player because of it.”

39 responses to “Ponder wants to meet Favre as he progresses as a QB”

when the vikes got brett I hated the move, as a diehard vike fan for life I hated brett farve, then I watched the way the guy played (as I never miss a vike game) now im Farves biggest fan , packers are lucky they had him all them years wish we had more of 4.

Say what you want about Brett Favre, his last year in Minnesota and the woman controversy. But his first year in Minnesota they were absolute lights out, balling out of control. That Vikings team would have went to the Superbowl if not for the Saints bounty on Favre. Brett Favre had his best season ever with them.

I love me some favre just like every true packer fan. What him and reggie white did for our franchise during the 90s. You cant teach, well shouldnt, teach the way he played. Cant teach having a rocket arm and a stubborn attitude.

This assumes, Ponder is even still the Vikings starting QB next year. If you’ve watched Ponder this season, his issues are way more than “growing pains”, he’s got some major issues and is leaning towards not being the guy after all.

I so badly wanted Ponder to be THE guy but after watching every snap he’s had, I’m afraid he’s a future back up.
Bethel-Thompson looked pretty good in the preseason and I hope they put him in a few games and see how he does.

everyone needs to lay off ponder. this is only his 2nd year. plus he beat my 49ers. i watched him play lights out. you cant just expect a guy in his 2nd year to be 10-1 right now. hes 6-5. thats pretty good. keep building on that.

supremekingz says:
Dec 1, 2012 9:51 AM
Say what you want about Brett Favre, his last year in Minnesota and the woman controversy. But his first year in Minnesota they were absolute lights out, balling out of control. That Vikings team would have went to the Superbowl if not for the Saints bounty on Favre. Brett Favre had his best season ever with them.

(Should’ve retired after that year)
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This bounty excuse is never going to go away. Sniffling clowns just cant get it thru their heads. What part of minnehaha was in position to win that game had ur beloved hero not throw the ball across his body to the other team that u cant understand? (u should retire this bounty excuse)

His ankle never healed after the Saints tried to tear it off and then the Sterger mess hanging over him the next season and Rice waiting until training camp to finally have surgery put the Vikings in the same spot they are now only 1 WR and no second option. Difference is though Favre can throw the deep ball and Ponder can’t, that’s just a fact that can’t be fixed by coaching.

I’ve said it before and I will say it again-Rodgers has had what, 5 years as a starting QB? It has been a good 5 years, but in the end the results have been the exact same as Favre’s first 5 years-one SB victory (and one less SB appearance). People need to wait another 5 years before making that statement, not to mention todays game is a bit different than in the late 90’s-early 00’s. The amount of talent Rodgers has around him is also not comparable to that which Favre had for a lot of the GB years. How many playoff appearances did the Pack have between like 2000-2008 that were due solely to Brett Favre?

MBT has a rocket of an arm. You can’t teach that. To me he looks like a young Favre and would rather see the Vikes develop him than Ponder. Ponder was an average QB in college and will be average to below average in the NFL. I believe his physical ceiling is already reached and even though he’s a smart guy, that doesn’t seem to translate to being football smart. Joe Webb is better, MBT has more upside, but Ponder is the high draft pick. Frazier and Ponder are tied together like Childress was with Jackson. Feels like another failed experiment at work.

It’s safe to say several on here know nothing when I see them calling for a 3rd stringer that did great in preseason against 4th stringers. If anything, the coaching staff is holding Ponder back. Arm strength is fine. Or is a 50 yard pass (2 games ago) too weak of an arm? It’s the WR routes that are a problem. I’ve seen many routes where every WR had a route 10 yards or less. Sure, Ponder is young and you want to minimize his mistakes, but after a full season you have to take the training wheels off and see if the kid can play.

I’m not sure how accurate it will be to measure Ponder’s performance tomorrow, playing without a decent WR or a healthy TE at Lambeau. If the Vikes are even in the game tomorrow, it will only be because AP runs wild and the defense plays well.

As a Packer fan, all of you people bitter at Brett Favre need to let go. The Packers would not be the franchise they are today if Favre hadn’t put his heart and soul into every single play for 16 years. Was it always pretty? No. Did it end perfectly? No. Stop being so spoiled acting like everything needs to end in fairy tale fashion. Favre and the organization both could have handled things differently, but it is what it is. I for one will give him a standing O when he gets his jersey retired. Stop diminishing his accomplishments in comparison to Rodgers, they are both beasts and as fans we should be grateful to say we got to cheer for both of them.

I agree with a comment I saw above, Ponder should seek out Fran the Man and continue a mentor type relationship with him. Ponder could learn so much from the HoF QB that was such a huge part of the Vikings organization in its prime. But if he wants Favre… I can’t blame him… look at what the guy did for the city and team of Green Bay. It really all depends on what he wants out of the meet I guess.

I think Favre would tell him to just let it all hang out. Don’t try to play conservative, just for the sake of hanging on to the starting job. Just keep swinging. Either you’re going to get a KO, or you’ll go down swinging, but you will know whether you are the real deal, or not.

I will say that if it weren’t for the high and low hit on Favre there is a good chance he wouldn’t have thrown against his body to begin with. He most likely would have ran down the sideline to get extra yards.

Going back to that game there were many factors as to why the Vikings lost. They turned the ball over several times whereas the Saints didn’t. However,. the refs did not help make it a fair game either. Penalties not called when they were clear and let’s not forget the 4 plays (3 of them reviewed on OT) that went the Saints way even though ALL of them should have went the Vikings way. The 4th down alone where Thomas fumbled was enough. Then the phantom PI, then the “catch” that hit the ground.

Anyway the Saints won and there’s nothing anyone can do about it. But as Far as Favre is concerned I loved the way he played the game. He is what the game is all about. Going out and having fun and playing with all heart. However, I wouldn’t ask him to teach anyone because he was about as unconventional as anyone could be. You want a teacher, ask Troy Aikman, Joe Montana, Fran Tarkenton. Players like that can give better advice. Just my opinion.

As a Packer fan, all of you people bitter at Brett Favre need to let go. The Packers would not be the franchise they are today if Favre hadn’t put his heart and soul into every single play for 16 years. Was it always pretty? No. Did it end perfectly? No. Stop being so spoiled acting like everything needs to end in fairy tale fashion. Favre and the organization both could have handled things differently, but it is what it is. I for one will give him a standing O when he gets his jersey retired. Stop diminishing his accomplishments in comparison to Rodgers, they are both beasts and as fans we should be grateful to say we got to cheer for both of them.
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Benedict Arnold was a highly decorated military man before switching to and preferring the Vikings…..err, I mean the English.